marco tidbits - biz-net · you want to check your hotmail account or facebook page, do it during...
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This monthly publication provided courtesy of Marco Romero, President of Biz-Net, Reno NV
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Practicing common sense work habits on your business computer network can prevent a lot of agony and stress. With so much confusion of what Cyber Security actually is, education becomes an important part in protecting your critical business data. There are basic terms that we have all heard at one time or another such as hacking, phishing, malware, viruses. From our experience, the number one cause of having your computer infringed upon is opening an email from an unknown or one you think you know, sender, or clicking on a link to a website that will be sending you to a site that was not your original intention. Also, does your business have a business class firewall, NO, not the one you buy at your local computer store, but a firewall that scans data coming into your business that may be potentially harmful. Most importantly, hiring a company, such as Biz-Net, that is able to perform an audit and provide you with solutions that will best protect you and your business. For more information, call us 775-850-7700.
March 2018
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Every movie portrays hackers in pretty
much the same way. When it comes to
crunch time, they crack their knuckles, sit
down at the keyboard, and begin tapping
away at lightning speed. The timer is ticking
down, the music reaches its peak of tension,
but the hacker remains cool as a cucumber.
Within seconds, they’re in, they’ve “hacked
the mainframe” and prompted high fives
from their swarm of cohorts waiting in the
wings with bated breath.
In reality, hackers are rarely up against some
impenetrable digital fortress, digging into
the passwords of a megacorporation or the
US government. The vast majority of the
time, they’re nothing more than a ragtag
group of bored criminals up against some
unassuming small business. And more often
than not, netting thousands of dollars from
ordinary businesses just going about their
day-to-day routines requires little coding at
all, and certainly no “mainframe hacking.”
According to IBM’s 2016 Cyber Security
Intelligence Index, 60% of the time, all it
takes is an unwitting insider to accidentally
leave the company’s digital front door wide
open.
The Dangers Of Human Error
Cybercriminals may be experts in sniffing
out the slightest vulnerability in your
company’s security, but a lot of the time, the
data they need practically falls into their
laps. Every day, internal e-mails are
mistakenly addressed to the wrong people,
sensitive info is inadvertently made public
and employees unknowingly click on
malicious links.
As technology has progressed, the number of potential threats has increased exponentially
Your #1 Hacking Threat Is INSIDE Your Own
Organization
Biz-Net bits
March 2018
Average Joes simply can’t be bothered to keep up with hacking
trends, and therefore are prone to opening your business up to
cyber-attack by simply bumbling through their daily activities. If
they’ve never been taught, how could they possibly know
otherwise?
Digital Impostors
One of the easiest ways hackers can gain access to your business’s
valuable data is by posing as a trusted figure within your
organization. This may sound complicated, but in today’s world
of social media and constant interactions through screens, it really
isn’t. Hackers can use data pulled from Facebook to either hijack
the e-mail accounts and identities of employees or pretend to be
them outright. After that, they can send peculiar requests to other
members of your team. After all, if your CEO, Controller, or
Office Manager sends you an urgent e-mail, you’re probably
going to open it. In many cases, by gaining access to a particular
team member’s credentials, hackers can bring down barriers and
decrease the effectiveness of your security network, while staying
completely invisible.
Smarten Up Your Team
No matter how comprehensive and powerful your cyber security
software may be, it’s not going to do much if an unsuspecting
employee welcomes the bad guys into your network. With that in
mind, it’s vital that we provide specific training to our teams to
truly make data security a priority.
But don’t do this alone — after all, you’re not the security expert.
Instead, ask us (or your current provider) to equip you and your
employees with the know-how to stave off digital attacks. We
provide comprehensive services for you and your team, including:
• Giving employees a crash course on contemporary hacking
strategies. You’ll likely be shocked by how many of them don’t
even know what phishing is. During the training, we will
provide specific examples of potential attacks - especially
phishing - and how to avoid them.
• Putting systems in place empowering employees to alert the
organization of vulnerabilities. For example, if John in
manufacturing receives a suspicious e-mail, the entire
company should be on the lookout within minutes.
• Teaching your employees that software updates and patches
are more than just a nuisance, they’re a necessity for up-to-date
security. When a new patch for a key program is released, we’ll
make sure your team knows it’s available and that they
shouldn’t avoid installing it until later, and provide them with
the tools to make it happen.
• Testing your team on what they’ve learned, such as sending
out false suspicious e-mails containing shady links. If anybody
fails the test, there’s still work to do.
Your people are your greatest asset, but they can also be your
biggest liability. In the modern world, it can feel impossible to
protect yourself from data breach. Luckily, when it comes to your
team, there’s one potential avenue for hackers you can fix with a
little perseverance.
Get More Free Tips, Tools and Services At Our Web Site: www.biz-net.com
(775) 850-7700
Download Your FREE Copy Today at www.Biz-Net.com/protect
Or call our office at 775-850-7700.
“Hackers can use data pulled from Facebook to either hijack the e-mail accounts and identities of employees or pretend to be them outright... If your CEO, Controller, or Office Manager sends you an urgent e-mail, you’re probably going to open it.”
This report will outline in plain nontechnical English common mistakes that many small-business owners make with their computer networks that cost them thou-sands in lost sales, productivity and computer repair bills, as well as providing an easy, proven way to reduce or completely eliminate the financial expense and frus-tration caused by these oversights.
Continued from pg.1
Free Report: What Every Small-Business Owner Must Know About Protecting And
Preserving Their Company’s Critical Data And Computer Systems
Biz-Net bits
Get More Free Tips, Tools and Services At Our Web Site: www.biz-net.com
(775) 850-7700
Biz-Net Security Tip:
Work computers and
devices are only for
ONE thing…
That is, WORK! Never mix
personal web surfing and social
media with company devices. If
you want to check your Hotmail
account or Facebook page, do it
during your lunch break and on
YOUR personal device. Over
600,000 Facebook accounts are
hacked every day. If you’re using
a company device to access a
compromised account, you’re
opening up a door to a hacker
who can then get into your
company’s network via your e-
mail or PC. Bottom line, don’t use
company PCs, devices, phones or
Internet for PERSONAL use.
Go here to get instant access:
www.biz-net.com/7security
March 2018
As a business owner, it can be easy to throw
on the blinders and focus exclusively on
profitability. But what if becoming
permanently profitable and supporting the
causes closest to your heart could go hand in
hand? Social entrepreneurship can actually
boost your employee retention rate and their
productivity at the same time.
Nowadays, people (especially young people)
want to do meaningful work, something that
translates into more than just a 9-to-5 job.
When you blend your company’s for-profit
goals with larger societal aims, your
employees will feel more accomplished and
satisfied with how they’re using their time.
Still, your mission doesn’t have to be solely
about donating money. Here are some
creative ways for you and your team to
incorporate humanitarianism into your day-
to-day work life.
1 Teach classes at your local community
center. Everyone on your team has some
specific skill related to your industry. Equipped
with this knowledge, your team can run a
workshop at a nearby community center. You
might be surprised how many people will find
this useful.
2 Switch from paper to digital. Not only will
this minimize your environmental impact,
but you’ll save money on printing costs. This
extra change could be donated to charities that
combat the effects of deforestation, such as the
Jane Goodall Institute or Plant a Billion Trees.
3 Buy locally. If you want to support your
fellow local businesses, take part in Small-
Business Saturday. As a team, make a list of the
businesses you want to patronize and take turns
leaving them reviews. This also encourages cross
-promotion between your company and these
other businesses.
4 Referral program. This strategy is a win-
win. If you want to boost your number of
customer referrals, advertise a deal in which
your company donates $30 to a charity of your
choice for every referral. This will quickly build
your reputation, not only for a quality service or
product, but for your socially conscious
practices.
5 Offer your services. Or, you could always
go with classic pro bono work. Offer your
services to one or two potential clients who are
lower income or otherwise disadvantaged.
Create teams to tackle these cases each quarter,
on the clock. Although you’ll lose a bit of money
to opportunity cost, the inspiration and
enhanced productivity your employees will
experience will more than make up for it.
Don’t underestimate the immense impact
socially responsible entrepreneurship can have
on your office culture, employees and the world
at large. For your team, it can be the extra
motivation they need to truly tap into their
passion and drive. Denise Blasevick saw these
results firsthand in her own company, and we’ve
seen them at Profit First Professionals in our
mission to eradicate entrepreneurial poverty. It
could also be the solution for you.
MIKE MICHALOWICZ (pronounced mi-KAL-o-wits) started his first business at the
age of 24, moving his young family to the only safe place he could afford – a retirement
building. With no experience, no contacts and no savings, he systematically
bootstrapped a multimillion-dollar business. Then he did it again. And again. Now he
is doing it for other entrepreneurs. Mike is the CEO of Provendus Group, a consulting
firm that ignites explosive growth in companies that have plateaued; a former small-
business columnist for The Wall Street Journal; MSNBC’s business makeover expert;
a keynote speaker on entrepreneurship; and the author of the cult classic book The
Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. His newest book, The Pumpkin Plan, has already been
called “the next E-Myth!” For more information, visit www.mikemichalowicz.com.
Social Entrepreneurship Could Be Your Solution
Biz-Net bits
Do These 3 Things BEFORE Your
Next Trip Out Of Town One of the worst things that can happen in this
age of cell phone addiction is going
out of town and losing your phone,
iPad or laptop. But it happens all too
often. Here are a few common-sense
security tips that can reduce the sting
if you misplace a device or two.
First, make sure you back up your
phone to iCloud, your computer or
whatever method your particular
phone supports. Then, ensure it has a
passcode. If you can change the
settings to set a passcode that
incorporates both letters and
numbers, that’s even better. Also be
sure to enable “Find My iPhone,” or
your phone’s equivalent, as this will
allow you to wipe the data if it gets
into the wrong hands.
If you travel with your laptop, it’s a
good idea to encrypt your hard drive.
This is an easier process than it may
sound – typically, all you’ll need to
do is enter a password immediately
when booting up the computer.
Stop These Habits Immediately
To Become More Productive
1. Put your phone away. Phones may be an incredible way to stay in touch
with friends and family and the
world at large, but they’re also a
massive distraction when you’re in
the middle of important work.
2. Close those extra tabs. According to the American Psychological
Association, only a measly 2% of
people are actually good at
multitasking. Don’t have
everything open at once – make a
to-do list and stick to it.
3.Don’t chatter during meetings. Unless you really have something
vital or new to share, save it for a
one-on-one communication.
4. Avoid reply-all e-mails. When you need information urgently, it’s better
to pick up the phone and call; then, if
you need to, follow up with an e-
mail.
5. Maximize your efficiency. A cluttered desk, a lazy morning
routine, a stressed-out body or really
any obstacle that jams you up daily
will slow you down. Pay attention to
the things that stand between you
and making the best of your time,
then work to alleviate them over time.
Inc.com 12/13/2017
Business Technology Trends In
2018 To Help You Run Your
Company More Efficiently Telecommuting is the industry
standard. Today, remote working is
more prevalent than ever, thanks to
modern software and technology.
Take advantage of this shift to reduce
overhead and improve employee
happiness.
Cloud services continue to dominate.
Ninety-two percent of modern
businesses are using one or more
cloud-based programs, a number that
only continues to climb. The
productivity and ease-of-access fixes
that the cloud offers are simply too
powerful to ignore. Live video
improves business-customer
relations. With live chat utterly
pervasive, we’ll see a shift to live
video chat to further improve the
customer experience. Face-to face
interactions, even through the
Internet, provide a level of connection
impossible in years past.
HomeBusinessMag.com 9/5/2
Get More Free Tips, Tools and Services At Our Web Site: www.biz-net.com
(775) 850-7700
March 2018